Flour-less Brownies with a Secret Ingredient!

This cold snowy day has been a great day for lighting a fire, reading, and baking brownies. Not just any brownies mind you. Brownies that are lower in calories and made with a "secret" ingredient. I put that in quotes cause it's really not much of a secret. I have heard about this recipe many times but I never believed that this specific ingredient could taste like brownies. Oh man was I wrong.

Let me introduce you all to the secret of the day. Black beans. Mix these little babies up with some sugar, cocoa powder, a couple eggs, a few more ingredients and you have your self crumbly chocolaty brownies. The first time I made these I wasn't sure how they would turn out. I tasted the batter and I was shocked at how close it was to normal brownie recipes. I only know this because when I was younger my mom and I would make brownies and just eat the batter. :)

Look at those! Yum yum yum!!

I only had an immersion blender. If you have a blender or food processor then it will go a lot faster for you.  

Flour-less Brownies
adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:
1 (14oz) can reduced sodium black beans; drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon fat-free milk (can use skim or unsweetened almond milk)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee, or freshly ground
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; divided

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a nonstick 8x8-inch square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch border on all sides.
2. In a blender or food processor combine black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, milk, balsamic vinegar, baking powder, baking soda, and coffee. Blend until smooth and pour into a mixing bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until evenly combined.
3. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownie mix.
4. Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Serves 16

Nutrition: Calories 144; Fat 5g; Carb 26g; Fiber 3g; Protein 4g; Cholesterol 23g